Ever since I logged in for the very first time I have been one of those “free” users. I didn’t feel like paying some 99 SEK a month, so I have been listening to those annoying ads just like you. Today one of them made me follow the link to Spotify’s website–it introduced Spotify Unlimited. It is just like Spotify Premium, except that it costs 49 SEK.

Having options is cool.

If you stumble upon a problem, look for a solution. Don’t be afraid to offer what others don’t and your efforts will pay off. This guy didn’t reinvent the wheel, he just found another way to roll it. What is more, he focused on building customer relationships, something big companies offen fail to do.

When I asked Gerry Keaney, Senior VP Marketing and Sales, about their future plans for the expansion in China, he said that they will keep on being humble. According to him, trying to educate consumers is not an easy task. What is more, it may not be a winning strategy. Thus, if a client from China wants a long-base S80, equiped with shiny instruments and carbon body elements, he is very likely to get one. In fact, Gerry showed us a long-base, dark and shiny S80, designed for the Chinese market. A man of vision, like the whole Volvo team, he does not underestimate consumers. Although Volvo Cars have had troubles, now their way to the biggest auto market in the world is far more clear. Their saver, Geely, will be an incredibly valuable partner in this journey.

My point is that companies listen to what consumers want. Further, they even ask them – go to the S60’s page, click on the Naughty tests and switch to level 4 of Naughtiness. By the way, S60 is really remarkable! I was there, I saw it, I touched it…

The moment when companies will actually let consumers design the product and market it themselves is not far away. In the meantime, Nokia succeeded again in making their customers happy by releasing the newest version of Ovi Maps for the business headsets E71 and E66. They heard consumers’ feedback.

iPad. State of the Union.

Today’s biggest events. And while Obama’s speech will have a great impact on my personal peace, Apple’s event has dominated the Web.

And people have been making fun of both of them. Weird, ha?

So, if you get bored somehow during the Address, you may enjoy The State of the Union Address Drinking Game 2010.

In the mean time Apple didn’t reinvent the wheel. They introduced another consumer need for a shiny toy no one would have been keen on buying some months ago. Yep, iTampon is a trending topic as well, indicating that people are divided into two groups. Apple’s fans are impressed, the others are laughing at them. I don’t care. I will not be among the ones that will stay in line for it. But I will not be laughing either.

Yeah, Tablets are not something new. It’s not the iPad (neither its name) that matters, it’s the new way of doing things. Browsing the web, reading books or writing one, preparing presentations and watching movies – on a tiny device with a price tag of $499. That’s the thing.

It’s a pretty impressive way of selling, isn’t it? Apps, music, movies, books. And if one company has attracted the attention of such a great pool of people, then there is something behind the whole story.

Yeah, the glowing Apple. Although it’s not really glowing, it just changed something.

Golf GTI isn’t a car that everybody needs, but it’s a product whose target group is quite aware of. There could still be more potential buyers (20-30 years old), though, holding an iPhone or an iPod Touch in their hands and just having a break after a five lap race. Just like me. Most of them may probably not feel like spending €27 000 on a turbocharged car. However, it’s just another way to sell the right product to the right consumers.

The initial game, Firemint Real Racing, has been downloaded more than just a couple of million times since its launch on the App Store. Share a video of you racing on Youtube, post your lap results on Twitter or Facebook…

We’ll see how it will work for Volkswagen.